Cigarette box



G. F. HALL.

CIGARETTE BOX.

'APPLICATION FILED 1AN.21. 1919.

Patented June 13, 1922.

an... Q 9' \v 7 v a w r i w l t slit lly h it re ll CIGARETTE BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 13, 11922.

Application filed January 27, 1919 Serial No. 73,437.

To all whom it may concern.

lie it known that l, Gnonon FREDERIO llALL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State ofRhode Island have invented certain new and useful improvements inCigarette Boxes, of which the tollowing is specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

invention relates to a type of box which may be carried in the pocketand which is adapted to so enclose a single layer oi cigarettes thatthey are slidingly removable in seriated order through an opening offixed in the top of or in a wall of the box.

The object Of my invention is the production of a pocket size box inwhich cigarettes may be paclred and vended and which may be scaled tomeet the Government requirements for original packages and from which,after the seal is broken, the cigarettes may be slidingly removed, oneat a time in seriated order through an opening in a wall of the. box,without separating the box or opening a cover or flap or otherwiseexposing the interior and the contents oi the box each time a cigaretteis removed; a box from which each cigarette may be removed by fingerpressure without the finger coming in contact with the cigarette duringthe process of removal; a box enclosing a single layer of cigarettes, inwhich each. is so po sitioned and held that one or more cigarettes maybe slidingly removed therefrom, through an outlet in a wall of the box.without releasing any of the remaining cigarettes or causing them tochange position; a. box in which each cigarette shielded. and protectedfrom damage that might otherwise result from the method of removal; abox of the character described provided with external indication of thespacing and the posi tions of the contained cigarettes; abox of thecharacter described. provided with a match holding receptacle; toproduce a box of minimum dimensions for a given content and to that endin some cases, employing thin flexible material for some of the walls,resulting in a flexible package requiring enclosure within a protectiveeasing sufiieiently rigid to cause it to retain its shape and the combination to function properly. Ihese results are accomplished by certainnovel features and devices which are hereinafter described anillustrated in the drawings and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings Fig. l is an isometric view of the front oi the box.

2 is an isometric View of the back of the box; match receptacle is shownin this view.

Fig. 3 is a vertical. cross section through the box from front to heel:showing details of certain construction and equipment; inewhat similarcross sections'disclosing other slightly different construction areshown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10.

%lis an isometric view oi the box from e back, with portions or theenclosing walls broken away to more fully show the interior fittings.

F 5 is an isometric view, from the front, Oil a protective casing whichis adapted to receive, through its open top, the combined box and matchreceptacle shown in Figs. l and 2. i

Fig. 6 is an isometric view of the top of the box snowing devices formeeting Grovernmcnt requirements relative to temporarily closing andsealing the opening through which. the cigarettes issue from theoriginal package or box and Fig. 7 is a similar out opposite Viewshowing a combined closure strip and tobacco stop reducing the length ofthe opening in the top or the box; a cigarette is shown issuing from thebox with one of its ends in advance of the other.

Fig. 11 an isometric view of the upper portion or the front of analternative type of box showing an outlet at the top or the front wallof the box.

Fig. is an isometric view the front oi a portion oi one type ofre-en'liorced film adapted to overlie and close the finger slot.

As seen in the drawings my improved cigarette box is constructed ofrectangular age with. the front wall 1, the rear wall 2, 1 le walls 3and at and bottom 5; the top 6 left partly open as shown in 1, 2, i, 6.and i, or may be fully open, to be finally closed by a detachablysecured and sealed insert as shown in Fig. 6. In 11 the top is closedand the outlet opening is at the top of the trout wall; the enclosingwalls are to be constructed oi. paper or cardboard or a comlgiination atboth, nossibly re-en forced, to secure rigioity but may be of less rigconstruction when used with the outer protective casing shown in Fig. 5.The enclosing walls are secured together in any of the approved methodsof light box construction and overlaid with paper, stickers, etc. Thefront wall 1 is slotted and cut through Vertically '7 and this slot isin some cases left entirely open and in others overlaid with apellicular film 8 having defined spacing intervals and fracturedeterminating means 9, upon its surface, corresponding with the spacingof the enclosed cigarettes; this film is adapted to be separated intoparts, and removed in sections oi? predetermined size, one section beingdetached by the finger in the act of removing each cigarette. When amatch holding receptacle 11 is combined with the lJOX it will beattached to the rear wall, either secured upon its outer surface or therear wall 2 will have a recess or slot cut through it as shown in Fig.10 to receive the match container 11 which is pasted or otherwisesecured to the lining of the box 12; being thus recessed into the backwall oi? the box the total thickness oi? the combined device is somewhatreduced. The match container 11 is shown as an envelope with a flap andtuck and with a scratch 13 mounted thereon and is adapted to hold asingle layer of matches arranged for endwise removal.

The film 8 with its indicated spacings 9 overlies and seals the entirearea of the slot 7 and completes the continuity of the front wall; it ispreferably secured along its edges to the interior face of the frontwall 1 although it may be adapted for mounting on the outer face of saidwall. The spacing and fracture determining means shown at 9 are for thepurpose of establishing the lines of fracture for each film section andare so spaced that a film section is always opposite one of thecontained cigarettes. Each of these film sections, when detached by thefinger, becomes a shield for the protection of a cigarette; the film mayalso be made up of thin paper or other puncturable material, overlayingthe linger slot, to which tabs would be applied on either side; thesetabs would be of such size and shape and so placed as to leave a marginof the film showing all around each 0]": them and thus establish thesize and spacings of the detachable film sections and fix the boundariesof tracture around each section, confining the separation of the film tothe marginal area surrounding each tab; the tabs, each located oppositea cigarette, would also act as shields to protect the cigarettes fromdamage when the finger nail was used to separate and detach a filmsection preliminary to removing a cigarette. Such film construction isindicated in Fig. 12 in which the unbroken film sheet 8 is shown withthe tabs 32, the margin of the film sheet establishing the spacingintervals. In Figs. 3, 4; and 8 the s aacing of film sections and. thelines of fracture 9 are indicated. Attached to the inner face of thelihn, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4:, and projecting inwardly are the shapedunitary cigarette holding and protectingmeans 1 1:, one for eachcigarette 15, secured to the back oil? the film between the spacingintervals 9; these unitary holding means straddle but do not surround acigarette. The cigarettes 15 are placed in these holders and in the boxbefore the latter is fully assembled, secured together and sealed; thecompleted device is so adapted and arranged that the finger or thumb maybe inserted through the slot 7 to contact with the film 8 to break thefilm, within a predetermined area, and detach a section together with aholder or holders and to guide the cigarette or cigarettes, the detachedfilm section and the holder or holders outwardly through the outlet;one. cigarette or more can be removed at one time but they will alwaysissue slidingly through the outlet in seriated order; the remainingcigarettes will hold their positions and the un broken portion of thefilm and the shields will protect them and also serve to indicate howmany cigarettes remain in the box. When the film 8 is omitted or is onthe outside tace of the front wall, the holders and shields attach tothe said wall or to the underside of the film. The cross section andshape of the cigarette holding and protecting means may be varied, asshown in other cross sections, but the preferred form is one adapted tocompletely shield, overlie and protect that part of a cigarette which isopposite the slotted opening 7 of the front wall, and would otherwise beexposed, even when the film 8 is used, to injury from the finger nail indisengaging and guiding the cigarette outwardly. Various forms ofprotective shields may be used and ways employed for releasably holdingor securing cigarattes within. a box so that they can be removedseriatim, in the manner described, without disturbing the remainingcigarettes or causing them to change position; although such shieldingand holding devices are preferably made with their length approximatingthe width 01? the slot, they may be shorter or longer and variouslyattached; cigarettes shielded by film sections are shown. in crosssection in 8 with the film 8 between them and the slot 7. Fig. 9 showsanother holding device 17 of angular cross section which is securable tothe inner face 01" the back wall or the box with an inwardly extendingleg arranged to fie): at the oint and to be bent back against the boX aseach cigarette is removed; another type of holding means 18, similar inall respects, except cross section, to the holder 1 1- shown in Fig. 3,is shown in Fig. 10.

Figs. 6 and 7 show the construction of the top of the box through whichthe cigarettes issue; in these figures the opening is less in lengththan a cigarette and the closer 19 is adapted to cause the cigarette,when. forced outwardly, to issue with one end in advance of the other sothat it may be more conveniently grasped. by the fingers; the closer 19also "Functions to re tain within the box, when the device is carried inthe pocket, with the closer downward, such loose tobacco flakes as maycome from the enclosed cigarettes.

Fig. 6 shows the end of the box, fitted with a removable insert or cover20, having the tab 21, adapted for closing and sealing the opening inthe box to meet Government requirements for original packages; one endthereoi is inserted beneath the inner edge of the closer 19 and theinsert 20 is secured in place by the seal or sticker 22 which attachesto the insert and the walls of the box. This seal will be a revenuestamp which must be broken to remove the temporary cover and thecontents of the box. The cover is intended solely for the protection ofthe contents of the box and is to be removed and discarded immediatelythe seal is broken. It is removable through finger pressure exerted in"forcing outwardly the initial cigarette.

Fig. 5 shows a protective outer casing 28 adapted to receive a completedbox like that shownv in Figs. 1 and 2 and hereinbetore described. Such abox may be used without such a casing if rigidly constructed but iflight weight flexible material is used a casing would be necessary.These casings may be of leather, metal or any other suitable materialmore or less rigidly con structed and made with front, rear and sidewalls, a bottom and an entirely open top through which the cigarette boxwill be slidingly inserted. The front wall will be slotted, as shown at24, said slotbeing located opposite the slot 7 in the front wall of thebox and the rear wall will be downwardly recessed .as shown at 25 toreceive the match receptacle. The dimensions of the casing are such thatthe box, inserted through the open top end, will be posit-ionally heldwithin the casing, the finger slots of box and casing registering witheach other; the projecting match receptacle enters or is opposite therecess in the rear wall of the casing and opens outwardly of said wall.

In Fig. 11 is shown an isometric view of the upper portion of the "frontof another type of box; this box has all the features of the boxhereinbefore described and shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and the cross sectionshereinbefore referred to, except that the outlet opening is placed inandat the upper edge of the front wall, above and crosswise of the fingerslot, and the top of the box 31 is rounded to assist the delivery of thecigarette through the outlet 30. Such a slot could be provided with acloser and an insert and be sealed in the manner shown in Fig. 6.

The principal features of my device are found. in the combination of aonepiece container, having neither permanent cover nor flap, which isadapted to enclose and releasably hold cigarettes laid parallel to eachother in a single layer, with each cigarette positioned by adisplaceable and unitary holding means having an inwardly project ingleg.or part so extending as to hold a cigarette in place when thecigarette and its holding means next adjoining and nearer to the outletof the box is removed, the

assembly adapted in such manner that the finger may be inserted througha slot in a wall of the container to release a cigarette and slidinglyguide it, and similarly all. or the cigarettes in seriated order,outwardly through an opening of fixed dimensions in a wall of thecontainer, without releasing the remaining cigarettes or causing them tochange position. Details may be various, the holding means and theshielding means may be any one of a variety of forms or shapes and filmsand. other hereinbetore mentioned details may or may not always be usedtogether, but any combination of container, holding means or otherelements that will so enclose a single layer of parallel cigarettes thateach is releasably positioned within the container and all are removabletheretrom seriatim through an opening in a wall thereof one at a timeand by means of finger pressure applied through a finger slot todisplace and slidingly guide them outwardly of the container is withinthe scope of my invention.

I claim as a novel and useful invention and desire to secure byLetters-Patent:-

1. In a cigarette box the combination of a container having enclosingwalls, its internal dimensions from front to back approximating thediameter of and from side to side the length of a cigarette, adapted toenclose a single layer of cigarettes laid parallel to each other and tothe ends of the box, an outlet adapted for deliverance oi the cigarettes slidingly in seriated order, a finger slot in the front wallextending endwise ol the box, a film covering and secured about saidslot, fracture determining means spacing said film into sections ofpredetermined size conforming in one dimension with the dimensional unitof lateral spacing of the laid cigarettes, the spaced sections equallingin number the contained cigarettes and each film section adapted to bedetached, displaced and brought into contact with a cigarette throughfinger pressure applied by way of the slot in removing the sections oneat a time slidingly and in seriated order, each with an accompanyingcigarette, outwardly of said box through said outlet.

2. In a cigarette box the combination of: a

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container having enclosing walls, its internal dimensions from front toback approximating the diameter of and from side to side the length. ofa cigarette, adapted to enclose a single layer of cigarettes laidparallel to each other and to the ends of the box, an outlet adapted fordeliverance of the cigarettes slidingly in seriated order, a finger slotin the front wall extending endwise of the box, a film covering andsecured about said slot, fracture determining means .spacing said filminto sections of pie-determined size conforming in one dimension withthe di mensional unit of lateral spacing of the laid cigarettes, thespaced sections equalling in number the contained cigarettes, each ofsaid film sections pliably re-enforced within its boundaries and eachre-entlorced film section adapted to be detached, displaced and broughtbendingly into contact with a cigarette through finger pressure appliedby way of the slot in removing the sections one at a time slidingly andin seriated order, each with an accompanying cigarette, outwardly ofsaid box through said outlet.

3. in a cigarette box the combination of a container having enclosingwalls, its internal dimensions from front to back approximating thediameter of and from side to side the length of a cigarette, adapted toonclose a single layer of cigarettes laid parallel to each other and tothe ends of the box, an outlet adapted for deliverance of the cigarettesslidingly in seriated order, a finger slot in the front wall extendingendwise of the box, a shield for each of the ciga rettes, each overlyinga part of a cigarette crossing the finger slot and adapted to bedisplaced and brought into straddling contact with a cigarette throughfinger pressure applied by way of the slot in removing the shields oneat a time slidingly and in seriated order, each with an accompanyingcigarette, outwardly of thebox through said outlet.

4;. In a cigarette box the combination of a container having enclosingwalls, its internal dimensions from front to back approximating thediameter of and from side to side the length of a cigarette, adapted toenclose a single layer of cigarettes laid parallel to each other and tothe ends of the box, an outlet adapted for deliverance of the cigarettesslidingly in seriated order, a finger slot in the front wall extendingendwise of the box, a positioning means, having an in wardly extendingleg, displaceably located for each of the cigarettes, each positioning acigarette within the layer and establishing its relation to adjacentcigarettes and adapten to be displaced through finger pressure appliedby way of the slot in removing the cigarettes one at a time slidinglyand in seriated order outwardly of the boX through said outlet.

5. in a cigarette box the combinatioiii of a container having enclosingwalls, its internal dimensions from front to back approximating thediameter of and. from side to side the length of a cigarette, zulaptedto enclose a single layer of cigarettes laid parallel to each otherandto the ends of the box, an outlet adapted for deliverance of thecigarettes slidingly in seriated order, a finger'slot in the front wallextending endwise of the box, a film covering and secured about saidslot, fracture determining means spacing said film into sections ofpro-determined size conforming in one dimension with the dimensionalunit of spacing of the laid cigarettes, the spaced sections equalling innumber the contained cigarettes, a shield beneath each film sectionoverlying a part of a cigarette crossing the finger slot, said filmsections adapted to be detached and with the shields displaced and theshields brought into straddling contact with the cigarettes throughfinger pressure applied. by way of the slot in. removing said filmsections, shields and cigarett s, one of each collectively and togetherslidingly and in seriated order, outwardly of the box through saidoutlet.

6. in a cigarette be): the combination of a container having enclosingwalls, its internal dimensions from front to back approximating thediameter of and from side to side the length of a cigarette, adapted. toenclose a single layer of cigarettes laid parallel to each other and tothe ends of the box, an outlet adapted for deliverance of the cigarettesslidingly in seriated order, a finger slot in the front wall extendingendwise of he box, a film covering and secured about said slot, fracturedetermining means spacing said film into sections of predetermined sizeconforming in one dimension'with the dimensional unit of lateral spacingof the laid cigarettes, the spaced sections equalling in number thecontained. cigarettes, a positioning means, with an inwardly exteitidingleg, r'lisplaccably located for each of the cigarettes, each positioninga cigarette within the layer and establishing its relation to ad jacentciga1.'ett'.. each film section adapted to be detached and with a meansdisplaced lv through. finger pressure applied byway of the slot inremoving the cigarettes one a time slidingly and in seriated orderoutwardly of the box through said outlet.

7. In a cigarette box the combination of a container having enclosingwalls, its internal dimensions from front to back approximating thediameter of and from side to side the length of a cigarette, adapted toenclose a single layer of cigarettes laidv parallel to each. other andto the ends of the box, an outlet adapted for deliverance of thecigarettes slidingly in seriated order, a finger slot in the front wallextending endwise of the box, a film covering and secured about saidslot,

fracture determining means spacing said film into sections ofpre-determined size conforming in one dimension with the dimensionalunit of lateral spacing of the laid cigarettes, the spaced sectionsequalling in number the contained cigarettes, a combined shielding andpositioning means beneath each film section overlying a part of acigarette crossing the finger slot said film sections adapted to bedetached and with the combined means simultaneously displaced and themeans brought into straddling contact with the ci arettes through fingerpressure applied by way of the slot in removing said film sections,means and cigarettes, one of each collectively and together slidinglyand in 'ted order, outwardly of the box through said outlet.

8. In a cigarette box the combination of a container having enclosingwalls, its internal dimensions from front to back approximating thediameter of and from side to side the length of a cigarette, adapted toenclose a single layer of cigarettes laid parallel to each other and tothe ends of the box, an outlet adapted for deliverance of the cigarettesin seriated order, said outlet having width approximating the leastdiameter of a cigarette and direction of length paralleling thedirection of length of the laid cigarettes, a closure strip at one enddetermining the length of said outlet and serving to retain loosetobacco within the box, a finger slot in the front wall extendingendwise of the box, the cigarettes removable through finger pressureslidingly applied by way of the slot to guide them one at a time inseriated. order on wardly of said box, each cigarette issuing throughsaid outlet with one of its ends in advance of the other.

9. In a cigarette box the combination of container having enclosingwalls, its internal dimensions from front to back approximah ing thediameter of and from side to side the length of a cigarette, adapted toenclose a single layer of cigarettes laid parallel to each other and tothe ends of the box, an outlet adapted for deliverance of the cigarettesslidingly in seriated-order, a finger slot in the front wall extendingendwise of the box,'a recess in the back wall positioned toward theoutlet end of the box, a match receptacle '"ithin and filling said,recess and opening outwardly of said back wall, the cigarettes removablethrough linger pressure applied by way of the slot to displace and guidethem one at a time slidingly and in seriated order outwardly of the boxthrough said outlet and the matches removable through said opening inthe receptacle.

10. In a cigarette box the combination of a container having enclosingwalls, its internal dimensions from front to back approximating thediameter of and from side to side the length of a cigarette, adapted toenclose a single layer of cigarettes laid parallel to each other and tothe ends of the box, an outlet adapted for deliverance of the cigarettesslidingly in seriated order, said outlet having width approximating theleast diameter of a cigarette and direction of length paralleling thedirection of length of the laid cigarettes, a closure strip at one enddetermining the length of said outlet and serving to retain loosetobacco within the box and to cause a cigarette to issue from saidoutlet *ith one of its ends in advance of the other, an insert closingthe outlet, said insert detachably secured to the box through the freeinsertion of one of its ends beneath said closure strip and attaching itelsewhere by easily fracturable means, a finger slot in the front wallextending endwise of the box, the cigarettes removable through fingerpressure applied by way of the slot to displace and guide them one at atime slidingly and in seriated order outwardly of the box through saidoutlet and said insert displaceable through finger pressure exerted inthe displacement of the cigarette next adjacent to said outlet.

11. In a cigarette box the combination of a container having flexibleenclosing walls, its internal dimensions from front to backapproximating the diameter of and from side to side the length of acigarette, adapted to enclose a single layer of cigarettes laid parallelto each other and to the ends of the box, an outlet at one end of thebox adapted for deliverance of the cigarettes slidingly in seriatedorder, a finger slot in the front wall extending endwise of the box,said box sealed except at said finger slot and outlet, a protectivecasing adapted to receive said box slidingly through an open end and topartially enclose said box, the walls of said casing opposite like wallsof said box, its front wall having a finger slot registering with thefinger slot of the box and its open end paralleling the outlet of thebox.

12. In a cigarette box the combination of a container having flexibleenclosing walls, its'internal dimensions from front to backapproximating the diameter of and from side to side the length of acigarette, adapted to enclose a single layer of cigarettes laid parallelto each other and to the ends of the box, an outlet at one end of thebox adapted for deliverance of the cigarettes slidingly in seriatedorder, a finger slot in the front wall extending endwise of the box, amatch receptacle opening outwardly of the back wall of the box, aprotective casing adapted to receive said box slidingly through an openend and to partially enclose said box, the walls of said casing oppositelike walls of said box, a finger slot in the front wall registering withthe finger slot of the box, a recess in and through its back wallextending downwardly "from its open end to admit said match receptacle,and its open end paralleling the outlet of the box.

13. In a cigarette box the combination of a container having enclosingWalls, its internal dimensions "from front to back approximating thediameter of and from side to side the lei'igth of a cigarette, retaininga single layer 01 cigarettes laid parallel to each other and to the endsof the box, an open outlet adapted for the deliverance of the cigarettesslidingly in seriated order, said outlet having Width approximating thediameter of a cigarette and direction of length paralleling thedirection of length of the laid cigarettes, a finger slot in the frontwall extending endwise of the box, said box sealed except at said slotand outlet, means adapted to displaceably position each cigarette Withinthe layer and box, the cigarettes removable through finger pressureapplied by Way of the slot in displacing and guiding them one at a timeslidingly in seriated order outwardly of the box through said outlet.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.Providence, Rhode Island, January 23, 1919..

GEORGE FREDERIC HALL.

Witnesses:

EDGAR L. BOWEN, MADELEINE E. STONE.

